Travel advisory · RussiaGovernments advise against all travel to Russia.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
- Chechnya · avoid all travel · Ireland, New Zealand, US
- Crimea · avoid all travel · Germany, New Zealand, US
- Dagestan · avoid all travel · Ireland, New Zealand
- Donetsk · avoid all travel · Germany, US
- Ingushetia · avoid all travel · Ireland, New Zealand
- Kherson · avoid all travel · Germany, US
- Luhansk · avoid all travel · Germany, US
- Stavropol Krai (eastern and southern parts) · avoid all travel · Ireland, New Zealand
- Zaporizhzhya · avoid all travel · Germany, US
- Kabardino-Balkaria · avoid non-essential travel · Ireland, New Zealand
- Karachai-Cherkessia · avoid non-essential travel · Ireland, New Zealand
- North Ossetia · avoid non-essential travel · Ireland, New Zealand
Also named by one government: Belgorod (Ireland), Bryansk (Ireland), Krasnodar (Ireland), Kursk (Ireland), North Caucasus region (US), Rostov (Ireland), Voronezh (Ireland)
| Government | Advice | Updated | Read the advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | Advises against all travel to Russia | – | Read the advice |
| United States (State Dept) | Do not travel to Russia for any reason | Dec 29, 2025 | Read the advice |
| Canada (Global Affairs) | Avoid all travel | – | Read the advice |
| Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) | Vor Reisen in die Russische Föderation wird gewarnt (Reisewarnung) | Oct 21, 2026 | Read the advice |
| New Zealand (SafeTravel) | Do not travel to Russia | – | Read the advice |
| Ireland (Department of Foreign Affairs) | Do Not Travel | – | Read the advice |
| France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) | Formellement déconseillé : l'ensemble du territoire de la Russie | – | Read the advice |
Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.
Russia
Travelers go to Russia for the imperial cities of Moscow and Saint Petersburg, the volcanoes of Kamchatka and Lake Baikal, the deepest freshwater lake on Earth.
Russia reaches from Eastern Europe across North Asia to the Pacific. By area it is the biggest country on Earth, at about 17.1 million square kilometers, and it covers eleven time zones. Moscow is the capital and largest city. Saint Petersburg, the second-largest, is a major cultural center known for the Hermitage and its imperial architecture.
Beyond the two cities the country changes sharply. Kamchatka and the Kuril Islands are volcanic, with more than 200 volcanoes, about 50 of them active, and Klyuchevskaya Sopka is the highest active volcano in Eurasia. Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia is the world's deepest freshwater lake, at about 1,642 meters deep. Much of the country has only two clear seasons, winter and summer, with brief spring and autumn. Its east-west extent is about 9,000 kilometers, so time differences are large.
Five things to know before Russia
- Read the current travel advisory first
The UK advises against all travel to the whole of Russia (advice updated 18 September 2026), and your travel insurance could be invalidated if you go against it. UK travel advice
- Know that foreign bank cards do not work
Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Russia will not work in shops or at ATMs, and paying directly in foreign currency is illegal. Cash, cards and SIMs
- Expect very limited consular help
In-person UK support is limited and very limited in parts of Russia. The British Embassy is in Moscow and the consulate in Ekaterinburg. Moscow
- Get the visa before you travel
UK passport holders must get a visa before travel, and fingerprints are taken at an application center. For other passports, ask the Russian Embassy and your own government. Visa checker
- Plan the route through third countries
FCDO says you cannot fly directly from Russia to the UK or through EU countries, and drone attacks can close airspace at short notice. Getting to and from St Petersburg
Russia travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
The capital, the British Embassy and the visa rules
Read the guideSt PetersburgRoutes in and out, taxis and street safety
Read the guideMoscow visa and entryVisa, fingerprints, immigration card and registration
Read the guideCash, cards and SIMsWhat works for money and phones
Read the guideLaws visitors must knowPhotos, drones, drugs and social media posts
Read the guideVisas and entryVisa before travel, and which channels to trust
Read the guideTravel insuranceWhy most insurers exclude Russia while advice stands
Read the guide
When to go
- Best
- JanuarySnow, frost
- FebruaryCold, snow
- MarchThaw
- AprilSlush, mud
- MayMild, green
- JuneLong light
- JulyWarm
- AugustWarm
- SeptemberGolden leaves
- OctoberWet, cool
- NovemberGray, first snow
- DecemberSnow, New Year
Right now in Russia
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
4
- Feels like
- 1°
- Humidity
- 73%
- Wind
- 5 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 55%
Moscow
02:22 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today1°-1°55%Tuesday: Snow. High 1°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 55%.
- Wed3°0°53%Wednesday: Snow. High 3°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 53%.
- Thu4°-1°60%Thursday: Rain. High 4°, Low -1°. Chance of rain 60%.
- Fri2°-2°46%Friday: Rain. High 2°, Low -2°. Chance of rain 46%.
- Sat0°-4°21%Saturday: Snow. High 0°, Low -4°. Chance of rain 21%.
- Sun4°0°25%Sunday: Snow. High 4°, Low 0°. Chance of rain 25%.
Updated 11:29 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 80.62 RUB
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
NovemberSalzburg Christkindlmarkt
NovemberNuremberg Christkindlesmarkt
NovemberStrasbourg Christmas marketFestivals by month
- Jan
- FebMaslenitsaAcross Russia
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- AugSpasskaya Bashnya (festival)Moscow
- SepMoscow anniversaryMoscow
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Before you go to Russia
Russia FAQ
Is it safe to travel to Russia right now?
Read your government's official advice first. The UK advises against all travel to the whole of Russia, citing drone attacks, the risk of detention and limited support, and travel insurance could be invalidated if you go anyway.
Can I use my bank card in Russia?
No. Visa and Mastercard cards issued outside Russia will not work in shops or at ATMs. Paying directly in foreign currency is illegal, so visitors exchange dollars or euros at banks, hotels or exchange bureaus.
Do I need a visa for Russia?
UK passport holders must get a visa before they travel. Use the visa checker for your passport, then confirm with the Russian Embassy and your own government's travel advice.
Will my travel insurance cover Russia?
Possibly not. The UK says insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice, so read the policy wording and ask your insurer in writing before you book.
Are there direct flights to Russia from Europe?
FCDO says you cannot fly directly from Russia to the UK or through EU countries. Indirect routes run through third countries, and drone attacks can close airspace at short notice.